Mindconnection eNL, 2013-08-04

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https://s3.amazonaws.com/hai-videos/Nnotes/2013/July13.mp4

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• The person who doesn't grasp relevance nearly always thinks s/he does. For the same reason, 90% of people think they are above average drivers. Don't sweat it if this is you; just work on improving your relevancy analysis ability.
• It causes thinking to go astray. This is why it's a core tool of manipulative people such as politicians.
• It typically leads to the exclusion of relevant facts. They are crowded out by the irrelevant ones (see example below).
• Irrelevancy leads to wrong conclusions. Being able to sort relevant from irrelevant empowers you. Huge motivation, there.

A smarter you

Understanding relevancy and being able to accurately determine degrees of it are key elements of reasoning. Tests of reasoning and Intelligence Quotient (IQ) are big on this point. Because understanding relevancy in analysis effectively raises your intelligence, you should be highly motivated to eliminate irrelevancies from your thinking process.

You might raise your IQ by an order of magnitude (for example, from gifted to genius or from average to gifted) simply by going from a poor understanding of relevancy to a strong one. It is that powerful of a mental tool.

An example of irrelevance

Joe is on trial for murder. The prosecution shows grisly photos of the murder, shocking the jury. The prosecuting attorney waxes on about how horrible this crime was. But that has no bearing on the question of Joe's innocence or murder.

This kind of shenanigan should result in immediate disbarment, in my rarely humble opinion, because it could lead to Joe's being put on death row even if he's innocent. In fact, that is exactly what happened in dozens of murder trials in Illinois. See the documentary Exonerated and read Scott Turow's excellent analyses of these wrongful convictions.

The irrelevancy ploy by the prosecution is, when you think about it, tantamount to attempted murder by the prosecutor. This intellectually bankrupt tactic is, however, par for murder trials. And it's one reason so many people have been wrongly convicted. It's also par for normal discourse, and that's why this topic is highly relevant to improved brainpower!

Irrelevance as the prosecutor's tool works because the irrelevant grisliness of the murders is "larger" than the fact that there's no proof Joe was anywhere near the victim at the time of the murder. It overshadows all reasoning and leads to wrong conclusions. The grisliness gets equated to guilt, and there's Joe right in front of the jury.

• People often assume that if an idea occurs to them while they are thinking about a topic, it must be relevant. But the timing of a thought has no bearing on whether it matters to the central question.
• People often think a fact is relevant because it's important. But importance and relevance are different characteristics. Importance does not embody any information about the relationship of the fact to the topic. Only relevance does that.
• People often think a fact matters to the central question because there's some sort of shared theme. The murder was grisly and maybe Joe committed the murder, so these two facts are relevant? No, they aren't. If someone else committed the murder, how grisly that person did the deed has no bearing on the question of Joe's guilt or innocence

The grisliness of the crime is certainly not a trivial issue, and it is relevant to the murder. But it has zero relevance to the question of whether Joe did it. Confusing relevance to one issue with relevance to the one at hand is a common failing in relevance evaluation. Don't do it.

People mistakenly assume relevance when a fact is related to some aspect of the topic. But if it doesn't bear on the central question, it's not relevant. Is the central question Joe's guilt or how horrific the murder was? These are two very different questions.

Yes, in the preceding paragraphs, I have restated the same principles different ways. I just want to make abundantly clear that mistaken relevance is no relevance at all.

How to judge relevance

First, establish what the central question is. What is the real question at hand? What conclusion are you trying to establish or what question are you trying to answer? What is it? State it plainly. Then disregard all other questions when filtering which facts have relevance to that question.

Look at the relationship of facts and observations to only that central question. Do not consider their relevance to associated questions, their importance, or how timely their discovery is. None of these attributes tie the fact to the central question.

Some things are obviously irrelevant. For example, whether there's water in the ocean or not is irrelevant to whether you owe me $5. But don't mistake your ability to spot obvious irrelevancies with the ability to accurately spot irrelevancies.

Some things are not obviously irrelevant. For example, I did something for you and I claim you owe me $5. It's not relevant what I did for you, if you didn't enter into an agreement that I do it for $5.

When you get into things that are not obvious, you must look at the relationship of the fact to the question at hand. That relationship is what defines the relevance or lack thereof.

By no means am I exhausting the subject here. But I hope to give you some tools to raise your relevancy analysis ability. Here are some ways to do that:

• Look at exclusivity in cause and effect. Is the fact or observation part of a cause or effect that would not happen if the fact were false or the observation impossible? Or is it merely coincidental?
  
  Example: The fact that the sun appears to set in the west is not relevant to the question of whether the earth revolves around the sun, because the same effect could exist if the sun revolved around the earth. The fact that we can see other planets do revolve around the sun is relevant; why would they do it and not earth?
   
• Ask how directly the fact or observation bears on the question at hand. This addresses the degree of relevance, but keep in mind that it can also rule out irrelevance due to no direct bearing.
  
  Example: I tell you that how you fold your towel on a weight bench is crucial to how much you can bench press. There is actually zero relevance, and we can establish that by observing bench press record holders--they don't use a towel.
   
• Ask what happens if the fact is left out. This is similar to the preceding method. The difference is you're looking for the chain of logic to fall apart without that fact.
  
  Example 1: If I leave out the fact you agreed to pay me $5, then I can't legitimately claim you owe me $5. The fact we had the agreement is highly relevant.
  
  Example 2: The fact there's tea in China has no bearing one way or the other, so it's not relevant.
   
• Does it help connect the dots? A relevant fact or observation usually helps logically connect the dots between other facts and the premise. If it does not, it might still be relevant but its value toward establishing the premise is weak and so it's best left out of the analysis.
  
  Example: I loaned you $5, and you agreed to pay it back. Helping connect the dots is the fact that the $5 bill I handed you has my name on it as part of a celebrity's autograph (To Mark, Best Always, Jimmy Page). This is relevant because it lends credence to my claim I had previously possessed that $5 bill before handing it to you. It also might be relevant because I would have to be crazy to give that away!
   
• In what direction is it moving the analysis? If it expands the analysis or changes its focus, it's probably not relevant. This is probably the most common way irrelevancy destroys logical analysis. It "changes the terms of the debate" by expanding the topic or even changing it to another.
  
  Example: I erroneously state that Mars is the largest planet but "prove" this with telescopic observations (due to relative distance, this flawed and irrelevant method makes Mars seem larger than the giant Jupiter). This claim of mine has no relevance to the question of whether the earth revolves around the sun, but now we're arguing about which planet is the largest.

All of the major search engines grade links and pages on their relevance to each other. For more information on relevance, you can explore how they do this and why. They also score those paid ads on relevance, and this is a key factor in the cost of a click for the advertiser.

Here are some additional resources on relevance:

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Relevance
• http://www.internet4classrooms.com/grade_level_help/logic_support_argument_language_arts_eighth_8th_grade.htm
• http://www.logicalfallacies.info/relevance/appeals/

My reply was, "Grow your own vegetables, if you are not already doing so."

After a few exchanges, it became clear this request wasn't about reducing taxes but about reducing taxes collected by the Institute of Reprobates and Sociopaths. Some facts:

• You pay 128 different taxes on a single loaf of bread. That does not include the colon cancer risk of ingesting the hydrogenated oil it's probably made with, nor does it include the costs of ingesting the neurotoxin in the GMO wheat it's probably made with.
• The 1040 tax is far from being the largest tax you pay. This is actually a small component of the total tax bite for 80% of Americans.
• The inflation tax hits not only hits your income, but also your savings (if you have any), your property, and your spending. It's a combination income, property, and sales tax. And it's quite steep. It took fully half the value of the dollar over the past 10 years. Again, it's a tax on EVERYTHING not just on income. It's levied illegally by the nonFederal nonReserve, rather than by CONgress.
• Every penny collected for the 1040 tax is swallowed up by interest payments to the nonFederal nonReserve. This de facto makes the Institute of Reprobates and Sociopaths the enforcement arm of this criminal syndicate. Neither this agency nor the terrorists on its payroll are accountable to our "elected" officials (nor is the nonFederal nonReserve). Kevin Brown masterminded a $103 million theft, and Lois Lerner was part of this crime. Neither went to prison. In fact, Lerner is now infamous for her recent (and unpunished) perjury before CONgress.

I think expending energy on trying to game this rigged system of the 1040 tax isn't worthwhile. The risk that the terrorists will be able to come up with some petty excuse for destroying your life is also a consideration. You can reduce the bite by claiming all of your allowed deductions and credits. Consider starting a home business and taking a home office deduction, if you are not already doing this.

You can reduce your taxes in many other ways. The inflation tax hits, as I said, when you earn, own, or spend. To the extent you do less of these, in dollars anyhow, you reduce your tax bite. If you put your mind to it, you can find ways to reduce what you do here. For example:

• Maybe you can negotiate with your employer some kind of tax-free perquisite in lieu of some wages. Use of a company car reduces your spending while (if done right) not increasing your taxable income. Replace "car" with laptop, phone, tablet, etc. Or maybe for you it's getting training that will make you more valuable to this employer and potentially others.
• The theft of market value of what you own can be reduced by holding onto things through their useful life or even recycling them to other uses. For example, drive the old car longer, use the old phone another year and cut old clothes into rags instead of buying cleaning cloths.
• Take care of your things so you extend their useful life, thus reducing the need to buy replacements. If you need only one of something, don't buy two (unless they are on sale). Try to trade with friends and neighbors. Don't be afraid of using hand me downs.

No matter what you do, other than moving to a deserted island, the tax bite will still be huge and unavoidable. Only when lawful government is restored in place of the crime syndicate operating in the District of Corruption will taxes become reasonable. By "reasonable," I mean the tax proceeds are used to provide legally-authorized services for the people and to run the legally-authorized government.

What happens now, instead of that, is well over 90% is a wealth transfer from all of us to a handful of extremely wealthy criminals. It may flow through a series of corporations to get to them, but that's where it ends up. In other words, we're back where we started as vassals of the monarchy/oligarchy before the American Revolution.

We don't need another armed revolution to put these criminals out of business and restore lawful government (thereby slashing our taxes by perhaps 90%). The criminals who run the kleptocratic gangsta government HQ'd in the District of Corruption are in power because "we the people" permit it. Vote with your spending. It's the only effective vote you have. If you buy something from one of the corporations that's robbing you or poisoning you, is that very smart? As an example, pick a regional bank or a credit union rather than one of the "too big to jail" bankster firms.

Of course, it will also help if you vote in the affirmative for lawful government when the fake "elections" roll around every two years. Rather than "choose" between the Gambinos and the Genoveses (both working for the same Don Capo), vote Libertarian.

It's too early in the liberty movement for us voters to actually select who will be in office in federal "elections" but that does not mean we have to give up entirely and say "I prefer being robbed by Criminal A instead of Criminal B." Instead of that, use your vote to say, "I want lawful government." You may not get it any time soon, but certainly you will never get it by approving of crime with your vote.

The reader did identify himself as male, so my first comment here is I'm not sure that a guy looks less intimidating to potential attackers if he carries a purse. If the reader means "also carry a firearm," then maybe.

If you're going to carry a firearm, wear a proper holster. There are many other holsters for concealed or unconcealed firearms, including a bra holster for women.

"Carrying a gun" does not make you safer. It can be more dangerous than being unarmed. A firearm is a tool, and it should be your personal tool. One that you are trained and able to competently use. The nation's leading civil rights organization also is its leading source of qualified firearms training. It's not hard to find an NRA-qualified instructor near you.

Something that security professionals know is a firearm is not a "solves all problems" security tool. Watch the outtakes from Expendables 2 to get some good info on this. It is often "the equalizer," but drawing a firearm takes time. In a confrontation, you may not have that time.

If you want to ensure your safety, you should also learn close infighting techniques. I have taught these to people of all shapes and sizes. Yes, a 105 lb woman can seriously hurt a 200 lb man; try hanging 105 lbs from your left ear, and you'll understand why this is so. But she has to practice several techniques until they are automatic responses, and she will have to hope one of these fits a given situation.

That's kind of a long answer to the question. The reader was onto something, but off the mark a bit. A gun is merely an inanimate object. It can't protect you. Only you can protect you. Yes, it's smart to incorporate firearms techniques into your self-defense training. But don't assume the gun has any power on its own.

For many people, the real "health care" provision of this illegal mislegislation is it ensures they get large portions of fruit.

Unfortunately, the fruit in question is "des pear."

Maybe we can't do much about the job loss of this mislegislation, but we can address a few things that will help us with the reduced access to medical care.

For many people, "going to the doctor" is now out of the question because it's no longer affordable. That means you need to work on eliminating reasons to go.

The number one driver of disease in the USA today is ingestion of poison.
 

At age 51.
Click for more detail.

Thinly disguised as, and marketed as, "food" the disease causing garbage is what most people put in their grocery carts. And it's why they get sick.

A few simple precautions can help you avoid most of the problems:

• Begin your shopping in the produce department. It is here that you should obtain most of your food. Get a variety of veggies and fruits.
• If buying something in a package, don't buy anything with hydrogenated oil (causes cancer) or high fructose corn syrup (in addition to containing a powerful neurotoxin, it's an endocrine modifier) on the label.
• Don't buy anything that contains wheat, soy, or corn unless it is certified GMO-free. Else, you will slowly but surely be lowering your IQ and steadily raising your risk of Alzheimer's or some other form of dementia.
• Don't buy fish; it's contaminated with mercury.
• Don't buy meat or poultry unless you can verify it wasn't fed GMO corn (which contains a powerful neurotoxin).
• Buy good cooking oils. Olive oil, peanut oil, and coconut oil are especially good.
• No sodas.

Note also that the crap commonly marketed as "pet food" usually has corn as the first, second, or third ingredient. The inaptly named "Science Diet," a premium brand, is such crap. So are many brands that falsely claim to be healthy or have other baseless claims on their package. Don't read the hype and lies on the packaging; read the ingredients label.

If you see corn meal or some other variation of corn, find another product. Feeding this Round-up contaminated GMO crap to your pet is simply inhumane. Yes, actual food that's safe for your pet to eat does cost more to purchase, but your pet will look and feel better eating that than eating corn-based crap.

• The best workouts are short and intense.
• A good diet contains far more flavors and satisfaction than the typical American diet.

If you are left handed, you will tend to chew your food on the left side of your mouth.

If you're a politician, you speak out of both sides of your mouth.

"Be thankful we're not getting all the government we're paying for."